Self-adjusting carriage-curtain fastener.



' PATENTED DEC} 11, 1906.

J. P. WILDGEN. SELF ADJUSTING CARRIAGE CURTAIN FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26. 1906.

FIG. 4..

lNvEN-foR. 4 1 JOHN F.WILDGEN.

, 19 Bvj ZTT'Y'S.

JOHN F. WILDGEN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SELF-ADJUSTING CARRIAGE-"CURTAIN FASTENER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed December 26,1905. Serial No. 293,392.

To Ml whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. WILDGEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Adjusting Carriage-Curtain Fasteners, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a self-adjusting carriage-curtain fastener, and is an improvement upon the carriage curtain fastener which was patented by me February 14,1905.

The object of my invention is to generally improve the construction shown in the patent above referred to and to provide aconstruction wherein the fastening is self-adjusting or a construction wherein the curtain readily adjusts itself vertically and horizontally relative the frame of the carriageto lvhile carriage-curtains are not in use they are generally rolled up, and for this reason they sometimes become war ed or drawn, so that they do not exactly 't when lowered into position; and it is the principal object of my invention to construct fasteners for the curtain that will allow for the slight variation between the edges of the curtain and the carriage-top.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more clearly set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a rear view of a carriage-top, showing a curtain thereon held by my improvedfasteners. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the two-parts of the fastener in position on the curtain and carriage-top frame. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of F ig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the spring-housing I' make use of in carrying out my invention. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a metallic pocket carried by the curtain and in which the hook engages that is carried by the carriage-top frame. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the blank of which the pocket seen in Fig. 7 is formed.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates the back curtain of a carriage, and 2 the frame of the carriagetop. Located on the outer faces of the fra1'iie'2 adjacent the-edges are the metallic plates 3, in which are formed the pairs of apertures 4. Integral with the front end of each plate 3 is an upwardly bent lip 5, having a'semicircular upper edge 6. Located on the under side of the frame 2 immediately beneath each plate 3 is a corresponding plate 7. Positioned on top of the plate 3 is a tubular housing 8, formed of sheet metal, the rear end 9 of which is closed and the front end of which is open and provided with an inwardly-projecting lip 10, that surrounds the lip 5 when the housing 8 is positioned on the plate 3. Prongs 11 are formed integral with the side edges of the housing 8, which prongs pass through the pairs of apertures 4 in the plate 3, through the frame -2, and through suitably-located apertures in the plate 7, and said prongs are clenched against the under sides of said plate 7, thus very rigidly locating the housing 8.

A hook 12 is provided with an integral shank 13, which passes through the opening between the semicircular upper end of the lip 5 and the corresponding edge of the inwardly-bent lip 10, and said shank extends throughout the length of the housing 8, its

rear end being provided with a transverse plate 14. Located upon the shank 13, between the plate 14 and the inwardly-bent lip 10, is an expansive coil-spring 15, the normal tendency of which is to draw the hook 12 toward the front end of the housing 8.

Located on the inner face of the curtain adjacent the edge thereof and directly opposite each housing 8 is a rectangular plate 16, in each end of which is formed an aperture 17. The metallic pocket which is located on the outer face of the curtain over each plate 16 is constructed of a single piece of sheet metal, which comprises a rectangular plate 18, having the integral prongs 19 formed on its side edges. Integral with one edge of each plate 18 is a narrow strip of metal 20, which is bent backwardly over the edge of the plate 18, so as to lie at an angle of approximately thirty degrees relative the plate 18, thus forming a wedge shaped opening or pocket 2]., that extends the entire length of the plate 18. The ends 22 of the strip 20 are bent downwardly against the ends of the plate 18 to form walls at the ends of the wedge-shaped pocket. One of these plates 18 is located on top of the curtain 1 IIO over each plate 16, and the prongs 19 are forced through the material of which the curtain is constructed through the apertures 17 and are then clenched beneath the plate 16.

The wedge-shaped pocket 21 is considerably longer than is the width of the hook 12, and it will be readily understood how the curtain may have considerable play relative the frame 2 when the hooks 12 are engaged in the pockets 21.

When the curtain is unrolled and it is desired to secure the edges thereof to the frame 2, the hooks 12 are pulled outwardly a slight distance against the pressure of the coilsprings 15 and said hooks are engaged in the pockets 21. The springs 15 will naturally draw the edges of the curtain toward the housings 8, and said edges of the curtain will readily adjust themselves vertically relative the \frames 2, owing to the greater length of thapockets 21 as compared to the width of the hooks 12.

L A curtain-fastener of my improved construction is si ple, inexpensive, easily applied for use, h lds the edges of the curtain ,yieldingly in engagementwith the edges of the carriage-top frame, and also permits said curtain to naturally adjust itself vertically to any variations between the curtain and thecarriage-top frame.

The pocket 21 is of considerable depth, and when the hook is seated in said pocket the spring 15 maintains said hook in the pocket and the parts cannot become accidentally detached, as it it is necessary to en gage the hook and pull same outwardly against the pressure of the spring 15 before gated pocket, and the ends of the upwardly rearwardly bent edge being bent downwardly to form end walls; substantially as specified. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification-in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. WILDGEN. Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, E. M. HARRINGTON. 

